# Update: Remedies/Relief for Cramps ?



## Amethyst (Mar 20, 2006)

Ok, I just did a search for this topic in this forum (Health &amp; Fitness) and I didn't see anything, so maybe its time for an update.

Ladies, what's your current remedy for bad menstrual cramps? I usually take a couple Advils and a hot water bottle on top of my stomach. But when you're at work and you really can't leave, what gets you through your day?


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## lavender (Mar 20, 2006)

I have heard that it is not good to take any tablets during those days. So I never take any kind of medication.

At home, I would get a warm shower. It helps  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> And if it gets really bad, I would do the "cycling" excercise lying on the bed.

At work, I get a hot drink - hot cocoa or warm milk. This seems to help too.

For me, cramps are manageable. But I get these *horrible *headaches during my period. I still haven't got a solution for that.


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## dixiewolf (Mar 20, 2006)

I use thermacare mentrual cramp heat pads, you can wear them under your clothes so when they are really bad I use those and take midol or something.


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## Little_Lisa (Mar 21, 2006)

I drink a hot, herbal tea called PMS tea from Traditional Medicinals. It works best to start drinking it daily a week or two before your period. When I do this, I don't even get cramps and feel so much better.


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## dentaldee (Mar 21, 2006)

pop a robaxacet ( for back aches ) it's amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just figured this one out a few months ago.

robaxacet is a muscle relaxant .... so I figured " a muscle is a muscle" ........... well I'll be damned!!!!!! it worked like a charm.... best solution I've ever found!!!


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## Amethyst (Mar 21, 2006)

OOh, so imagine drinking the herb tea Lisa mentioned with the muscle relaxer Dentaldee suggests.... :w00t: I'm assuming you need a prescription for that huh?

I've tried the Thermacare and sometimes if the cramps aren't too severe, these work. I tell ya, these are really great inventions. I even bought the ones for backache for my husband.

I think I've become immune to Advil / Aleve, sometimes these just don't work for me.

I would try almost any homeopathic remedy: tea's, herbs, etc. There's a yoga position I hear that is good for cramps but it didn't help me any. You're lying down flat and your legs are bent into a diamond position with the bottoms of your feet touching each other.


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## dentaldee (Mar 21, 2006)

View attachment 17103


available OTC here in Canada and we're usually slower than you guys so I bet you have it too.... it's a little pricey but you can buy generic brand cheaper!!are you dying right now???

Sorry!!!!!!!!! just looked on line...... only OTC in Canada.... but I can send you some if you'd like.... we get samples from the sales rep. all the time!! I know it won't help right now but you'll have it for next time.


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## lglala84 (Mar 21, 2006)

I usually don't get bad cramps anymore, but if I do I'll use a heating pad on my tummy and lay in bed.


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## Jennifer (Mar 23, 2006)

i get horrible, horrible pains during my period. it's every other month only and it's my right leg (don't know why), which means there has to be something wrong with left fallopian tube when an egg is being released. i just can't afford to get it checked out right now.

for now, i just take midol and it works okay, but i do have the days where i pass out from the pain, but there's i can do  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## Jen (Mar 23, 2006)

Jennifer...passing out from the pain...omg, how awful for you sweetie. I'm sorry you have it that bad.

I will normally take Motrin and it helps some. The yucky part of mine is just the first day or two.


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## Aquamarine317 (Mar 23, 2006)

*Trust me I know this-- take TUMS (2 of em) every day. By the time your period comes you will have no PMS, no cramps. This works!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is something in the calcium that alleviates your syptoms!!*


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## KathrynNicole (Jun 26, 2006)

My husband's forever and always making sure we have a bottle of Premsyn PMS in our medicine cabinet. Midol doesn't help me at all. I usually have to use a heating pad, as well, and I'm unable to leave the house for an entire day due to cramps.


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## Pauline (Jun 26, 2006)

Hi Amethyst, i sympathise with you and anyone else who gets painful menstral cramps.Personally i have always had terrible PMT and i have tried various things to help.I usually don;t do very much at the time of the month as i swell up with water retention by almost a whole dress size and my bust goes up by about 2 sizes! It's crazy and painful. The only thing that really does help for me is to have a hot bath and take painkillers if i am in agony.I will then sit a hot water bottle on my stomach,however i know that this will not be possible for anyone who has to work thorugh this unpleasant time of the month.Persoanlly i think any woman who is ill at this time should be allowed to take time of work.Some women are lucky in that they can continue theur daily lifes with no problems and then there are other's like us who really SUFFER. I am so sensitive to my monthly i can tell which ovary the egg (yukky) is popping out of.

Have you thought about trying any suppliments to balance hormone levels.EPI is supposed to be good.Ive also tried Traditional Chineese medicine which did help. Maybe if you could use a heat patch that will provide some relief.It might be worth a visit to your Dr if you are really not well,unfortunatley taking painkillers every month is not good for anyone and if i could find a good remedy that works i'de probably try it. There may be some foods that might help.Black Gosh (a herbal suppliment) is supposed to help.Hope you feel better soon.


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## VenusGoddess (Jun 26, 2006)

Yoga stretching does wonders for cramps. You can do some stretches at the office. Drink MORE water, skip the caffeine and the sugars.


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## girl_geek (Jun 27, 2006)

I get pretty darn painful cramps, but not quite as painful as some girls... I take 2 ibuprofin, every 4 hours on the dot! If I wait longer than 4 hours, or say if my period starts in the middle of the night and I don't wake up until the cramps have already started, it takes at least an hour if not two for the ibuprofin to start working -- and I am doubled over until it does start working! (When it starts in the middle of the night, I always just get up and read a book for an hour because there's no way I'll be getting back to sleep anytime soon!) Hence I always keep ibuprofin in my purse so I am prepared if I start at work or something  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Lately even the ibuprofin hasn't been working quite as well as it used to, the cramps are manageable but not quite as pain-free as a few years ago! But I'm not sure what else to try, I am hesitant to try Midol because I've heard it has caffeine in it (and I try not to eat/drink too much caffiene), and I don't want to take birth control pills. (My mom started birth control when she was 13 because it was the only thing that could help her cramps, she had to skip school for the pain without it!)

And to go with the worsening cramps, the last few years I've had very sore breasts during PMS and now the tender breasts are lasting for a full week before my period each month! But even though my cramps and PMS are slowly getting worse, my period is also slowly getting lighter and now I think I could probably just use pantiliners! :icon_eek: (And I am only 25!) ... I am a few months overdue for my annual PAP smear, so I think I need to mention this to the dr., I've heard light periods could be a sign of pituitary or thyroid problems... Bad cramps can also be a sign of endrometrios (spelling?) but another symptom is unusually heavy periods so I don't think I have that!

And yes, I always hear things like yoga, stretching, breathing exercises, drinking water, etc. helps cramps -- yeah right, they don't put a dent in mine! :icon_eek:


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## hollyxann (Jun 27, 2006)

i get super super bad cramps as well...but this is because i have endometrious...so i get cramps all the time...even when im not on my period...and i still havent been able to find anything to help with my cramps...a lot of the time i lay on the couch, bed, floor etc with my feet elevated...which seems to help but then most of the time im in fetal position in bed bc i cant move....lol

so if there is something out there that can help please someone share!


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## vickih (Jun 27, 2006)

i also used to get severe cramps. but i read somewhere that if you take calcium supplements everyday, your cramps should be less severe, and trust me it works.

i suffer from endometriosis and would usually be on severe medication to kill the pain, but i always thought there should be something better out there. I haven't cut out the caffeine or sweets from my diet like everyone says you should, but i simply take a calcium supplement and now i have tolerable cramps that a midol or advil will simply take care of.

sometimes the simple things make all the difference.


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## Thais (Jun 27, 2006)

It varies a lot from person to person. For me, Ibuprofen works well. I just have to make sure I take it as soon as I start feeling minimal pain, otherwise it is hard ti control. Lately I have been taking ibuprofen 3 times a day for the first 3 days of period just prophylatically and it does prevent the cramps.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Taking a birth control pill can prevent cramps as well.


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## grn_eyed_grl (Jun 27, 2006)

This may sound really silly but I used to have some pretty bad cramps. Usualyl on the first and second day of my period. SInce I started taking birth control pills, I have had no problems at all with them. It doesn't even bother me at all anymore to have a period. The flow is also very very light and it only lasts 2-3 days.


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## mac-whore (Jun 27, 2006)

My cramps were TERRIBLE.. I mean, T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E. I had horrible nausea and vomiting and I would have to stay in bed all day when my period came.. so any plans for that day ( and sometimes the next ) were out the window. The only thing that helped me is Ortho tri cyclen. It's really been a God send for me. Midol &amp; Advil dulled the cramps a little.. but, they'd still be there and so would the bloating, nausea.. and so on.


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## Leony (Jun 27, 2006)

Good thread!

I'l be checking this thread monthly!


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## LVA (Jun 27, 2006)

o . Thx for bumping this thread! I just had the worse cramps last week! I felt like i was going to throw up, but i hadn't eaten anything so that was impossible. I thought i was going to pass out. Every movement seemed to hurt. As soon as I got home from work, I took an Iboprofen and 3 midols and 1 aspirin and went straight to bed. It hurt so bad i didn't think i could go to sleep .. next morning felt beautiful .. then 5pm came and the cramps came back ... phooey ... wished i remembered about this thread when i had my cramps  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## KathrynNicole (Jun 27, 2006)

Oh, no! I'm glad you feel better, now. Poor, Kim!


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## hollyxann (Jun 27, 2006)

i too am on ortho tri cyclen lo and it was supposed to help me and it did a lil bit but i still have terrible cramps to where i cant move and i get nausea and all that fun stuff


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## KristieTX (Jun 28, 2006)

I know how you ladies feel. I get deathly ill almost every period that I have. I get to where I feel like I am going to pass out and I am in so much pain, I violently throw up. I hurt so badly that I think giving birth would be much more pleasant. I also feel like I'm bleeding to death. I need to get back on BC pills, the last time I took them, I felt so much better. No cramping and maybe 2 days of really light bleeding. It's possible I have endometriosis, it runs in my family.


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## girl_geek (Jun 28, 2006)

That's not silly at all, many people take birth control to prevent cramps -- like I said, my mom started bc when she was 13 solely to prevent cramps because nothing else worked! I took a low-hormone bc for 3 months before hubby and I decided to use something else (for moral reasons), and my cramps were noticeably better but not completely gone!


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## hollyxann (Jun 28, 2006)

im the same way and i have endometriosis as well..it runs in my family...my grandma had it...my mom lucked out and didnt get it but i havent been able to do anything to fix it...i mean the bc did a lil bit but not enough...and my drs told me at this time there really isnt anything to do bc i just had another complication...so for now i just have to bite my tongue and deal with it....


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## foxydiva (Jul 5, 2006)

I get horrid horrid cramps. I have endometriosis and PCOS. The pill worked for a few years, then they came back with a vengance like Chuckie. I take an 800 mg motrin every 8 hrs, dont drink any cold liquids, drink lots of hot chocolate with ginger root and at night hot apple cider with a bit of whiskey (i know you arent supposed to) and take a flexeril (muscle relaxer.) and use the heating pad. None of it really takes the pain away, but lets me sleep until they are over.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I used to just get them the first 24-48 hrs of my cycle but now its the entire time.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I have endo and you sound just like me, except mine is that way even on the pills *le sigh* Mine get so bad that I turn pale...And a grey/green black girl is a scary site. My male boss looks at me and sends me straight home. And on top of all that, does it seem like everyone becomes an idiot when its your time? Like they put stupid pills in the water and you are walking around in the matrix?


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## michko970 (Jul 9, 2006)

Hi, just wondering how you got diagnosed with this. was something odd and you made a comment to your doctor? or was it found out during a checkup. just curious because I think I may have it. thanks.


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## hollyxann (Jul 9, 2006)

yes i was diagonosed by my dr.

funny thing is i didnt know i had it and i found out when i was 16. i had started my period when i was about 13 which is normal but id have these killer killer cramps...and it wasnt just when id get my period...it was like whenever it felt like it but it was 10 times worse when on my period...id bleed extremely heavily (not to be gross)...id go through multiple pads or tampons in like hours...i wouldnt be able to move or anything...id throw up real bad and it was just like the worst experience of my life

(now adays its still bad but it has gotten better)

then when i was 16 i was walking back from the field by my house and i collapsed in my road from the pain...(thankfully i live on a dead end) and i couldnt move...i had collapsed before but it wasnt the same...and my mom had to take me to the hospital...at the hospital they did an exam (my very first female one) and they told me to go to my regular female dr. which i didnt have one so i went to the dr and they did another exam and i was in and out of drs for the next 3 months for this...they did a few ultrasounds and exams and from the ultrasounds they found out that i had it...

then they told me that there wasnt really anything they could do for me at this time...but i could have a surgery done where they clean me out but they try to not do that on people so young or people who havent had kids yet so i would be better off having a kid at 16 and then i could get fixed but getting pregnant would help and it would be difficult...so thats how it went...

now at the age of 20...i havent had any kids yet...i havent tried...i havent had any surgeries...im on birth control and it has helped a lil..my period isnt as long and i dont get the pains as often but when i do get them they are still pretty bad...i cant move and get sick still but it doesnt last as long

if you think that you have endo. then you could just mention it to your dr and im sure they can do some tests or something to help you...if you think you have it try to get it taken care of or something to help you before it gets worse


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